Five charged in meth lab bust...

CRIME & COURTS

March 25, 2009

CRIME & COURTSFive charged in meth lab bust PLYMOUTH -- Five people have been charged in Marshall County Superior Court 1 with various felony methamphetamine charges. After receiving many tips that meth was being manufactured in a home in the 7900 block of Queen Road, Plymouth police and Indiana State Police conducted an investigation. When police arrived at the home March 8, an active meth lab was discovered. The renter, Kathleen B. Eskridge, 55, and four other Plymouth residents were arrested. Eskridge, David Carston Cooper, 35, Nichole Leeann Dudek, 25, Jamie Lee Spaid, 32, and Otis Sylvester Young Jr., 28, were all charged with dealing in meth, a Class B felony, possession of meth and possession of chemical reagents or precursors with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, both Class D felonies and visiting a common nuisance, a Class B misdemeanor. Eskridge also was charged with reckless possession of paraphernalia, a Class B misdemeanor. CRIME & COURTSWoman robbed near apartment MISHAWAKA -- A 56-year-old woman told police she was walking up to her apartment building Monday when a man put what she thought was a gun to her head and demanded her purse. According to a Mishawaka police report, the incident happened shortly after 10 p.m. in the 6000 block of Mission Trail. PUBLIC SAFETYPolice: Death not suspicious ELKHART -- Elkhart police spokesman Lt. Ed Windbigler said it appears the death of a man Tuesday morning at an Elkhart business is health-related and not suspicious in nature. The body of the 58-year-old man, who is from Florida, was found outside Vitracoat America Inc., an industrial powder coating business at 2807 Marina Drive in the far northeast corner of Elkhart near the Toll Road. Homicide detectives and the county coroner were sent to the scene after police were called about 6:30 a.m. TRAFFICCulver woman dies when car hits tree CULVER -- An 86-year-old Culver woman died Monday morning in a single-vehicle accident in the 12500 block of Indiana 17. Avenell Reatherford was driving south on Indiana 17 when her vehicle went off the road and struck a tree, police said. The accident occurred about 9:52 a.m. Restrictions set on Ironwood bridge SOUTH BEND -- The Ironwood Drive bridge over the St. Joseph River, between Pleasant Street and River Avenue, will be inspected Thursday and Friday. The drive's southbound outside lane will be closed to traffic on the bridge today and Thursday, while the northbound outside lane will be closed Friday. According to the Department of Public Works, lane restrictions will be lifted each night upon completion of the day's work. Underpass travel to be intermittent MISHAWAKA -- Traffic along the Main Street underpass will be stopped periodically today and Thursday while contractors pour concrete for the sidewalk on the east side of the road. Traffic in each direction will be periodically stopped while flaggers direct traffic -- one direction at a time -- around the construction equipment. The work will take place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day. Indiana 2 accident causes outage SOUTH BEND -- A Butternut Bread delivery truck driven by Knolan Martz, 48, of Osceola, crashed on Indiana 2 just east of the St. Joseph Valley Parkway at 5:54 a.m. Tuesday. According to St. Joseph County police, when the truck left the road, it also struck a supporting wire to a utility pole belonging to AEP. The pole sparked and ignited the ground. An AEP spokeswoman said power was knocked out to about 200 homes in the area. GOVERNMENTLeaf pickup begins in Mishawaka MISHAWAKA -- The city began its spring leaf pickup Monday, and it will continue through April 10. Residents are encouraged to rake leaves to the curb in front of their homes for removal by the street department. Piles should be free of sticks and other debris. There is no set day for pickup, according to a news release. Crews will be working their way through the city and will remove piles while they are in a particular area. Residents with questions should contact the Street Department at (574) 258-1660.